Shiv Sena part ways with BJP, says will contest all upcoming elections alone

In a major setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena on Thursday made it clear that it will contest all upcoming elections on its own and won’t ally with the saffron party.

“We know what the agenda of Amit Shah ji is but Shiv Sena has passed a resolution that we'll contest all upcoming elections on our own. There will be no change in that resolution,” ANI quoted Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut as saying.

The announcement came a day after BJP president Amit Shah’s meeting with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence in Mumbai to repair the strained ties with the disgruntled ally.

Shah was accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the meeting with Thackeray.

However, the Sena gave hints to the BJP that its efforts to bridge the trust gap won't be worthy with and an article published in the party's mouthpiece Saamana mocked its ‘Sampark for Samarthan’ campaign.

"The BJP has launched a global outreach programme and as per the programme, Modi is undertaking a world tour and Shah a domestic one,” an article published in Saamana read.

The article had further stated that "the Shiv Sena showed its strength during Palghar bypoll. In such a condition, 2019 Lok Sabha polls can be one reason behind BJP chief’s Sampark Abhiyan.”